Apparatus for the treatment of ores



$8 39, 1936. c; PARRAGA 2,045,1

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ORES Filed April 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 30, 1936; c PARRAGA 2,045,919

APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF ORES Filed April 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I j 3; T I E|- INVENTOR. Cfiarles [Parraya WMv WW Hz; ATT

ORNEYS Patented June 30, 1936 v V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,045,919 APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT F ORES Charles F. Parraga, Mexico, D. F., Mexico Application April 25, 1935, Serial No. 18,106

6 Claims. (01. 259+107) The present invention has for its object aption thereto the valuable contents of the ore are paratus and means for carrying out the process extracted to a much greater degree than hasv set forth in the prior application of Arthur J. heretofore been possible, in that an extraction Elian, Serial No. 688,830, filed September 9, 1933, of from 90 .to 95 and even more percent from the for Process for clarifying liquids. orehas been found possible with my improved 5 The present invention involves the use of a method oftreatment and the apparatus used mechanical agitator for stirring or scrubbing therewith. solid particles contained in liquids, or for treat- It must be appreciated that each particle of ing plain liquids more efficiently, and is appliore contains small fissures or indentations pro- 10 cable to any steps in manufacturing, mining, etc., duced, during the grinding thereof which, while 10' that may require active agitation of its liquid not deep enough to cause the breaking of the mixtures. particle into smaller ones, become nevertheless This invention is particularly concerned with filled with air or other gases in such a manner the extraction of valuable metals such as gold, as to make it impossible to withdraw the same silver, etc., from their ores when finely divided and allow thereagentsolutions to enter such 15 and treated in accordance with the so-called fissures and do their work." This occurs in spite cyanide process or otherprocesses. of the agitation whichhas ordinarily heretofore 'It is a well known fact that minute particles of been given the particles, because the small fisore formed by grinding orelin a weak solution suresflremain filled with air or gas even after of active agents such as cyanides or even in pure the agitation, dueto ordinary stirring, as well as 20 water are surrounded by very thin coatings of the introduction of air for the same purpose. air and similar gases which not only form a great In 'my improved method of treating the ore,

] hindrance to the making 'of true contacts be-- the particles, during; the; continuance of'such tween said particles and the reagent solutions, treatment, have had the air or gases completely but also, through the effective reduction of the removed therefrom, and the contact between the 25 specific gravity of the particles owing to the atactive solution of cyanide or other reagents is tached air or gases greatly delay settling of the complete, so that the removal of the valuable ore and often form scums or slimes that float contents thereof ismore eflfectually and rapidly on the surface of the'liquid and are prevented obtained than has heretofore been possible.

from entering into the solution, which hinders Thisis not only, accomplished by the physical 30, the complete extraction of their valuable metal structures hereinafter to be described,,but from contents. the fact that the scrubbingor agitating. action 1 The effective removal of the coatings of air is carried out under the action of a vacuum or surrounding and contained in the recesses of the substantial partial vacuum, as set forth in said particles of the ore-being treated is a very espriorapplication Serial No. 688,830. 35 sential part of the method of and mechanism For a description of, the agitating or scrubbing used for extracting the valuable metals from device involved as a part of the present invenores. To accomplish this, it is imperative that tion, reference may be had to the following the solutions penetrate to and into the particles specificationand to the accompanying drawings 40 and maintain an intimate contact withthe surforming apart thereof, in which v 40; faces of the particles of the minerals. Fig. 1 is a plan view of the lower side of one Heretofore, attempt has been made to accomform of t agitating device or element P' this result in Practice principally by the Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same injection of compressed air so that the agitation taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1. produced thereby causes collisions of the par- Fig 3 Shows a vertical sectional View of the 45,

1 the metal portions of the particlesbeing treated. T l f 1 f th Such treatment has heretofore required a peri- WW m 51 Ion o e mg 50. 0d of several days; whereas by the use of the element fli 5 present method of treatment and the apparatus, 5 1S e s Q QIY F of a cofltamer described in this application, the scrubbing achall/mg y m d tm fim m D tion or agitation of'the particles of ore, etc., is ferred D l S thereln- V t 7 reduced to a small fraction of that time. i 61 a tranSVerSe Sectional Vi w taken sub 55. Not only is this result-attained," but in addi-' stantially onthelin 6. .f Fi -5. 5,

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 5, the top thereof being removed.

With reference to Figs. 1-3 of the drawings, the numeral I represents a metallic disc which carries a marginal flange 2. At the center of said disc is a perforation 3 for suitable attachment to an arbor or shaft 4. The disc I has a number of radial slots or perforations 5. The tongues formed by cutting the metal to produce the slots or openings 5 are first bent away from the opening so as to form outwardly extending walls 6 which may be at right angles, or substantially so as to the surface of the disc. Said tongues are then bent so as to form outer parallel or slightly inclined portions 1. V 7

For the purpose of smooth stirringor agitating operations, the perforated disc is placed centrally in a tank or container 8 for the liquid orm'aterial to be treated. The extending portions 6, as wellas the inclined or horizontal portions I extend-- ing therefrom, serve to raise the liquid and solids contained therein as a result of the rotation of saidrdisc, and so produce successions of upward and circular impulses about the center of the tank but adjacent its walls.

. Fig. 3 of the drawings shows the agitating disc arranged to rotate toward the left, and obvious-- ly should the disc be rotated toward the right, the tongues of the apertures should be placed'to extend in the contrary direction, it being essential that 'said' tongues act as elevators and distributors and consequently extend in the same direction as the motion of rotation of the disc.

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated an agitating device 9 of conical form, said device having perforations or-apertures JD with extending tongues I 1 similar to those illustrated in Fig. 1. This agitating device may be supported on a central arbor l2, and may be braced thereon by appropriate radial struts l3, as illustrated in Fig. '5. As illustrated in Fig. 5 the agitator 9 is fastened to the central shaft I4 and the upper end of this shaft maybe fixed to a suitable gear or other form of rotating device l5, said gear being driven from a suitable source of power (not illustrated). The vertical shaft I4 is supported at its lower end bya suitable bearing l6 which permitsits free rotation without leakage of the contents of the tank therefrom, or the entrance of air into the tank, caused by the vacuum suction.

' At suitable places on the shaft l4, dependent upon the amount of material being treated and the character of the same, are placed circular disc-like agitators I and 1, similar to that illustrated in Figs. .1, 2 and 3. 'The container or tank ll of Fig. 5 is preferably cylindrical inform and is made conical or tapering at its lower end, as indicated at l8, if found to be desirable'under special circumstances. The upper or cover portion I9 of the "container is provided at its central portion with a-cylindrical projection 20 through the upperend'of which shaft 44 passes, where it is provided with a suitable stuffing box or gland 2|. The cylindrical portion 20 is provided with a connection for a pipe 22 which extends to a suitable vacuum or exhausting apparatus in order to produce 'a substantial: vacuum: within the container 11 and its lower' portion I8. Within the cylin drical extension 20 I provide a cone-shaped *bafile device 23 which'is open at, itslower end, as indicated at 24, andis provided with a reverse cone-shaped baffle 25"whic'h extends to the outer cone-shaped portion 23. "The' latter is 'provided the violent agitation and thesuction of the vacuum pump does not Withdraw the same from the tank or container. Below the cone-shaped bafile 23 are one ormore screens 28 and 29 in the form of wire netting or other preferred construction. These also form baffies which tend to prevent foam or other particles thrown upwards by the violent agitation of .themixture within the tank from is entering into the suction pipe 22.

Connected .with the bottom of the tank or conrespectively, the same being connected with the bottompf the portion 18 of the container by a 'suitable'valve 32. Valves 33 and 34 are provided respectively inthe feed pipe and the discharge pipe 3| to control the flow of liquid therethrough. The feed pipe 30 is connected with a branch pipe 35 which extends upward as indicated at136, where its end is open to theatmcsphere. Said pipe is also provided with a valveS'l which preventsthe air from entering the feed pipe 3!] and the tank except when desired, as will be hereinafter pointed out.

The lateral walls of the tank :or container are provided withzvertical radial fins or plates 38 which are cut transversely, as indicated, to form tongues 39, some of which, as indicated at 39, as in Fig. 6, .are bent out of line with the plate to form portionsfor deflecting .the mixture passing the same, whereby its tendency to rise and expand radially by reason of its rotation and centrifugal action, .is opposed. and the mixture is caused to .fall toward the center of the tank where it' meets the upward flow from the agitator. Thusthe projections or tongues serve most effectively to agitatethe liquid and cause a greater scrubbing action or intimate contact between the particles, and enables larger surfaces of the ore to be acted upon by. the vacuum by causing more rapid removal of the films or. layers of gas surrounding the particles being treated.

It will be-apparent that the radial plates and tongues 38 and 39v may be applied to the agitating device as illustrated in Fig. 3, special illustration thereof not being necessary, in view of the illustration of corresponding parts in Fig. 5.

. InFig. -5, the line 6-?6 represents the approximate height of the surface of the mixture or the load in the tank before agitation. The wavy line in Fig. 5 indicates approximately the height of the surface of the mixture when under full agitation.

Without the introduction of the radial plates the liquid rotates quite easily, owing to the rotary motion of the agitator, and consequently produces a motion analogous to that of a vortex, which causes the liquid to flow around the walls of the tank in rapid, rising,.circular and smooth motion and thereafter continuing to flow in the same direction and velocity when the. whole attains the speed of the disc.v

In ordertoobtain a more violent agitation and to break up the vortex; action produced by the rotating motion of the liquid, the above described radial plates or tongues are introduced. The ra dial plates and the inclined portions of the tongues cause the breaking of "theiwortex and'then the liquid is violently thrown toward the. center of. the

supplementing the faction ..of 1 the :conical 7'5" form of the agitator 9 of Fig. 5, which tends to produce a similar result.

In the application of treatment of ores by my improved apparatus above described, particularly in connection with an extracting process for gold and other valuable metals, I consider it advisable to first obtain a homogeneous mixture of the ores with the solutions by treating the same in a plain or cylindrical tank such as that illustrated in Fig. 3 without the application of the vacuum thereto. After a sufiiciently homogeneous mixture has been obtained, the treatment may be continued in the container or tank illustrated in Fig. 5, wherethe substantially perfect and complete removal of the air coatings aboutthe particles of ore is produced, and there results very rapidly a substantially perfect contact between the reagents and the valuable contents of the ore.

In the cyaniding process, as is well known, it becomes necessary to introduce oxygen to dissolve the gold and silver with which the cyaniding solution comes into contact.

When the removal of the air and gases is complete, the oxygen of the atmosphere is introduced by opening the valves 32 and 3 so that the suction resulting from the vacuum draws the air into the bottom of the container and allows it to pass through the solution, during which it comes into contact with the exposed surfaces of the valuable metallic contents of the ore. This is preferably done while the agitation is being con-- tinued so that the air is sucked in and forcibly distributed within the mixture owing to the violent agitation. This produces the required oxidation. After this has continued for a short time, the said valves are closed. The agitation and vacuum are continued for a sufficient period to assure the final settling action resulting from the fact that the true specific gravity of the particles is effected to cause them to settle rapidly when the mixture is allowed to stand or to remain quiescent in the same container or in another settling container to which the solution may be transferred. Thereafter the solution containing the valuable metals which have been removed from the ore is treated in accordance with the usual and well known precipitating processes.

Having thus described the above embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as being limited to the details of form, arrangement of parts, or steps of procedure herein set forth except in so far as may be consistent with the scope and tenor of the accompanying claims, for various changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the advantages incident to the above described invention.

What I claim and. desire to protect by Letters Patent, is:

1. Apparatus for the treatment of finely divided particles suspended in a liquid or semiliquid, comprising, a container for the liquid carrying said particles, an agitator in the lower portion thereof producing upward motions of said liquid, deflectors arranged transverse to radii and located in the upper portion of said container, to produce inward motions of said liquid in directions contrary to the first mentioned motions, and means for producing an efiective vacuum in said container.

2. Apparatus for the treatment of finely divided particles suspended in a liquid or semiliquid, comprising, a container for the liquid carrying said particles, a rotary agitator adjacent the bottom of said container and producing upward motions of said liquid, deflecting plates having portions inclined to radii and carried by the wall of said container, to produce inward motions of said liquid in directions contrary to the first mentioned motions whereby a scrubbing action is accomplished, and means to produce an effective vacuum in said container.

3. Apparatus for the treatment of finely divided particles of ore and the like, suspended in a liquid or semi-liquid, comprising, a container for the liquid carrying said particles, a rotary agitator adjacent the bottom of said container and producing upward motions of said liquid, and deflecting plates attached to the walls of said container, to produce reverse motions of said liquid, said plates having alternate series of radial and inclined portions whereby the currents produced thereby and by saidagitator cause a scrubbing action among said particles.

4. Apparatus for the treatment of mineral ores comprising, in combination, a container for liquids carrying said ores, an agitator therein having elongated openings and deflecting tongues extending from the margins thereof with portions extending approximately parallel with the surface of said agitator, and a plurality of series of deflecting tongues extending inward from the walls of said container, some of said tongues being radially disposed and others thereof being at an angle with respect to the latter, to deflect and cause reverse motions of the liquid being treated.

5. Apparatus for the treatment of mineral ores comprising, in combination, a container for liquids carrying said ores, a plurality of agitators therein having elongated openings and deflecting tongues extending from the margins thereof and having portions extending approximately parallel with the surfaces of said agitators, and a plurality of series of vertical tongues extending inward from the walls of said container, a plurality of said tongues being radially disposed and intermediate tongues being at an angle with respect to the latter, said agitators being located in said container below said tongues and the uppermost agitator being of inverted cone shape to cause an upward central flow of the liquid solution in said container.

6. Apparatus for the treatment of mineral ores comprising, in combination, a container for liquids carrying said ores, a rotatable agitator in the lower portion thereof for agitating and forcing said liquid upward, a closure for the top of said container, a reversely truncated baffle 10- cated within said closure, a second balile located CHARLES F. PARRAGA. 

